Pin-tray



T, HARRISUN'.

Pm TRAY. v Y

APPLICATION HLED FEB-4, 1920.

1,366,260.. Patented Jan. 18,1921.

JNvs/v TUR mnoMAs nanarsoivporwnsrov, curante,

y `Priv-'risers.

Sbehication of LettersJlitent.,` A

.Application led February 4, 1920. Serial No. 356,140.

To all whom it may conce/m Be it known that I, THOMAS HARRISON, of thetown of Weston, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, iaveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pin-Trays, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices adapted to hold pins and the like inconvenient position for use, and my object is to devise an article ofthis character by means of which a quantity of loose pins or the likemay, without individual handling, bebrought to a substantially uprightposition and there-` afterheld in that position so that individual pinsare readily grasped by the head when required for use.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is aperspective view of the pin tray, partly broken away, to show a sectionof the device;

F ig. 2 a cross section showing the sorter raised; and

Fig. 3 a side elevation with the parts in the same position as in Fig.2.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures. i

l is the base of a tray recessed at its upper side to receive one ormore holders 2. Preferably two are employed separated bv a central spacefor a purpose hereinafter described. In the bottom ofthe base is formeda hole provided with an suitable closure such as the plug 3. T e holders2 are provided with apertures adapted to receive the pins and hold themin a substantially upright position. A preferred construction is toemploy in each holder 2 spaced pieces of wire nettingv 'et arrangedsubstantially parallel to one another. Twhese pieces of wire netting aresupported on plates 5 inserted in grooves formed Vin the base orotherwise suitably supported thereon, the lower pieces of wire nettingbeing spaced from said plates.V The wire netting being of comparativelyfine mesh, it follows that the apertures in the two superimposed piecesof netting will be in substantial alinement with one another so thatpins may be held in the holders in substantially vertical position asshown in Fig. l with their points resting on the plates 5.

`undersized pins or similar Onthe base is supported a sorter 6, whichsorter has one or more slots 7 formed therein, each slot being longerthan the pins with which the device is used and of such width as topermit of the passage ofthe stems of the pins, but not their heads.Preferably each slot is formed at the bottom of a shallow trough, andthe preferred arrangement is to provide the upper surface of the sorterwith a plurality of undulations forming shallow troughs 8 separated 4byridges 9. The pins are thrown on the top of the sorter and naturallydistribute themselves in the troughs 8. If the sorter be then raised,any of the pins which have fallen substantially parallel with the slots8 will drop into the slots as shown in the drawings and will han in asubstantially vertical position. If then the sorter be lowered, thepoint of the pins will pass through the apertures in the holder and thepins will remain in a substantially vertical position with their headsprojecting sufliciently far above the sorter to be readily grasped. iA..

While the sorter might be entirely separate from the base carrying theholder or holders, I prefer to connect it thereto, as, for example, bythe links l() pivoted at the under side of the holder and to the base.It will be understood, of course, that the proportions of the device maybe varied to suit different lengths of pins, and also that the form andarrangement of the various parts may be materially varied withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention. If any small objects fallthrough on tothe holders, they will roll down to the space between thesame and may be shakenout through the opening closed by the plug 3.

`What I claim as my invention is Y l. A pin tray comprising an aperturedholder adapted` to receive pins and hold them in a substantially uprightposition; and a sorter vertically movable relative to the holder havinga slot formed therein longer than the pins with which the device is usedand of such widthas to permit of the passage of the stems of the pins,but not their heads.

2. A pin tray constructed as set forth in claim 1 in which the sorter isprovided with a plurality of undulations forming shallow troughsseparated by ridges, a slot being formed lengthwise of the bottom ofeach trough.

3.' pin trayl constructed as set forth in of January, 1920, in thepresence of the two claim 1 in which the holder comprises twoundersigned witnesses.

spaced sheets of stili.2 mater'alhavino closely i v e set aperturestherein7 the apeiture in one THOMAb HARRLON' 5 being in substamtielalinement with the Witnesses:

apertures of thev other. A Y. GEO. P. MACKIE, S'gried atTorontq Canada,this 21st day N. R. TYNDALL.

